Gov Zulum denies visiting Abba Kyari, says he doesn’t know his residence

Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has denied visiting the suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who was indicted in a $1.1m internet fraud with a notorious fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Zulum also said he does not know the residence of the embattled police officer, even though he is an indigene of Borno State.

The governor made the disclaimer on Wednesday, August 4, 2021, via a Facebook post titled, ‘Zulum and Shettima did not visit Abba Kyari, aide clarifies’.

In the statement signed Zulum’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, the governor said he and Kyari had separately visited his predecessor, Kashim Shettima to wish him a quick recovery on June 30, 2021, ‘following (the) mischievous circulation of rumours that the Senator had died in the UK.’

He said the clarification was necessary because Kyari failed to address the rumour making the round that he visted him.

The statement reads, “Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum and his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, do not know the residence of embattled DCP Abba Kyari, let alone visit him, Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau has clarified.

“Gusau said he resorted to issuing the clarification since Abba Kyari who promised issuing the clarification himself did not do so, more than four hours after making the promise to the spokesman.

“Gusau said a video in circulation was recorded by some associates of Abba Kyari at the residence of Senator Kashim Shettima in Abuja on June 30, 2021, when Abba Kyari paid an empathy visit to Shettima following (the) mischievous circulation of rumours that the Senator had died in the UK.

“Kyari himself had shared the same video on his verified Facebook wall on June 30, shortly after he visited Shettima.

“Kyari, who hails from Borno State and in Shettima’s constituency, visited the former Governor to wish him well like many others had visited the Senator during the time.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Police Commission suspended Kyari on Sunday, August 1, 2021, over a $1.1m internet fraud allegedly involving him, Hushpuppi and four others.

The Nigerian Police authorities subsequently stripped the celebrated police officer of his position as the Head of the Inspector-General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) and replaced him with DCP Tunji Disu.